Jaded
by E3-FantasyandReality
Summary: "Are you going to do it all over again?" An alternate universe where Sakumo's suicide is foiled and causes a kink in the future chain of events.
1. Chapter 1

**Jaded**

 _Prologue_

...

The deed was done.

Sakumo fell weak onto the floor with a fatal wound in his stomach –– a _self-inflected_ gash. He felt himself run cold as his warmth seeped out along with his blood. He drew his last breath, and finally numbed himself from the guilt of leaving his son.

He felt his grip around his tanto weaken. A soft but jaded smile carved onto his paled lips. He never thought that he would feel peace at the doorstep of Death; he had expected death to be nothing less but chaotic. Maybe that was the beauty of juxtaposition.

But… now… as he felt the cadence of his pulse fade, he felt relieved that Death was but a silent embrace from his tumultuous life.

Sakumo had finally crossed the chasm between the planes which separated the living and the dead.

He had finally accepted that he was going to die in shame –– a coward.

…

The dark was unnervingly cold, but still tranquil. Sakumo felt himself haphazardly descend further into the unknown. The deeper he sank, the weaker his mind became. Piece by piece, memories of his life –– memories that defined him –– fell apart and was soon replaced by the void.

Maybe _this_ is what he had wanted all along.

To forget.

But, somewhere along the way, Sakumo felt himself stop from his descent into the blackened pool. His memory suddenly stopped tearing itself apart, and the chill that had been injected into his soul …. _warmed_.

Sakumo felt himself catch his breath –– a gasp. A tender beat could be felt in his chest again. A beat he had already dissociated himself from ever since he had pointed his blade at himself.

He thought he had already accepted everything.

His eyes tightened as he witnessed black pale into white.

" _Sakumo!"_

A voice –– belligerent and familiar –– tore selfishly through the web of self-acceptance Sakumo had enveloped himself in.

…

A mellow hue of aureate from the over-hanging light greeted Sakumo's vision, as he wearily blinked back to life. Was this Heaven? No, it couldn't be. After all, he recognised the pattern engraved into the wood of the ceiling –– _his_ ceiling. But, what he didn't notice was the foreign warmth of another, radiating throughout the cells of his body.

Sakumo's eyes followed the trail back to the source of the heat. He didn't expect to see the hazel eyes of his comrade in arms. Yet, here she was. She was tainted in his blood –– and she was shivering in the presence of it –– but tried to remain collected, as she forced her chakra to knit his flesh back together.

 _"Tsunade,"_ Sakumo finally acknowledged her presence, mute of emotion.

The blonde wiped the trace of his blood from her lips, which suggested that she had resuscitated him back to life. Her facial expression was as monotonous as his, but the depths of her eyes –– the fiery hue behind it –– contradicted her outward expression. Still, she was silent. Sakumo had half-expected her to throw him through the walls of his house, but she gave him nothing of the sort.

He shifted into an upright position and patted his hand down his torso, witnessing a light scar on his chest, one that he had not inflicted. "What did you––"

"I had to manually pump your heart," Tsunade quickly spoke, intentionally cutting him off, as she wiped his blood off from her hands and onto his discarded Jōnin shirt. The fibres of her body grimaced upon hearing his raspy voice; she had subconsciously given up the chances of him living, and was ready to deliver the news to her sensei. Sakumo was one step away from Death, but she managed to salvage the vestige of life he had left.

 _Idiot,_ she wanted to say, but her mouth ran dry. She knew that Sakumo has been on thin ice ever since the _incident,_ but she didn't think that she would see his lifeless body strewn on his living room floor.

Sakumo hung his head down, knowing well that she would soon start prodding for answers. Answers that he could not provide himself. The act of his suicide was not committed erratically. He had been contemplating about it for months now, calculating for the perfect day to end it all. Today was _supposed_ to be the perfect day.

"Why did you come here?" He asked in a caustic manner, albeit unintentionally.

"Sensei told me to deliver your slip of leave. He wanted you to spend more time with Kakashi, and to rest." Tsunade clenched at the fabric of her red skirt, now blotched with Sakumo's blood. "I didn't think that I would find you like this..."

Sakumo felt his lips quiver at the mention of his son's name. "I'm sorry." He whispered weakly, averting eye contact with her.

"Tell me, Sakumo, did you ever think about your son?" Tsunade evenly asked, eyes hardened and locked onto the elite ninja. "Did you ever think about the psychological effects this would have on Kakashi?"

When she didn't get a response, she grabbed him by his shoulders and shook him for answers. "He's a _child_ , Sakumo! And you were just going to _abandon_ him?!"

The last piece of sanity in Sakumo... _broke_. "Of course I thought about it!" He snapped crueller than he had expected, but it conveyed his emotions well. He did this for his son, that's what he told himself. This act –– this _selfish_ _act_ of his –– was all for Kakashi. After all, who would want a failure of a father? Kakashi was better off without his shadow.

Kakashi was the brightest boy he had ever seen. Even the ninjas who despise him thought so, too. Kakashi was special; a prodigy that was seen once in a generation. Kakashi was his stubborn _little_ boy, and he deserved far more than this.

Sakumo just wanted to protect his boy.

Tsunade recoiled when Sakumo grappled her by her wrist with a bone-crushing pressure. She winced at his unexpected behaviour, but stood her ground by locking eyes with him. "So, what are you doing to do now?" she challenged calmly, ignoring the ebbing pain in her wrist. "Are you going to do it all over again?"

His eyes widened at her sharp inquisition. He didn't know what his answer was. _Would he?_ Would he knowingly betray his son –– _again?_ He became crestfallen at the face of reality. What kind of father has he become?

 _Kakashi…_

Sakumo slowly leaned his forehead on her shoulder and wept, silently trying to find comfort in her presence. Tsunade reluctantly obliged and she wrapped her arms around the broken man.

"I want to live," he cried his confession upon reaching a new ultimatum.

* * *

A/N: Truth be told, I thought I had put down my pen for this website. It wasn't until recently that my mind was heavily bombarded with ideas for the Naruto-verse. I hope you guys liked this quick inkling from yours truly. :)

 **Exciled3**


	2. Chapter 2

**Jaded**

 _Remember_

...

In the threads of the lukewarm water Sakumo bathed in, he thought about his son.

He remembers how Kakashi unapologetically chided him in front of other parents –– _fellow_ ninjas who were once his classmates –– when they were late at the Academy. Remembers how irritable his son got when he accidentally fell asleep on the couch, still drenched in dirt.

But, for the most part, Sakumo remembers seeing joy in Kakashi as he expanded his knowledge about the Shinobi world. Remembers how wide Kakashi smiled when he had gotten a bullseye with a kunai, despite having the chubbiest hands Sakumo has ever seen. Even at the tender age of 3, Kakashi was still displaying skills of a ninja.

Sakumo reclined back in his bathtub, amusement etching at his features. It had just been for a moment, but he already lost himself in his swollen pride for his son.

" _Someday, I will no longer be only known as the 'White Fang's son"_ Kakashi promised himself before he entered the Academy. Kakashi has a burning ambition inside of him, and he used it as his catalyst to ascend to the heights he has reached now.

Kakashi –– his pragmatic son –– has already grown to heights no shinobi has seen. He was carving a name for himself: the _prodigy_ of the Leaf. The boy who would be a candidate for the Hokage's seat someday, if he so wished it.

Sakumo's eyes dimmed and his lips fell downcast. Even though it feels that Kakashi has already grown up into a man, he knew that –– as a father –– he still has a lot to teach him. He's supposed to be the beacon of light in Kakashi's life. Yet, he was so complacent in taking his own life away.

Had Tsunade not intervened, his light would have been removed from Kakashi's gaze. He would have taken away the only guide Kakashi had left. He would have left his own son in the dark and without a form of moral compass.

Sakumo emerged from the pool of water and dried himself with a towel, his mind still in deep thought. But he was alive now, he told himself. The past –– his _fatal_ mistake –– shouldn't matter now. All that mattered ––

"Sakumo." Tsunade's muffled voice pulled him from his idle musings.

His slouched form snapped up in response. "J-Just a moment," he responded.

"I was just checking up on you,"

' _To make sure that you haven't done anything stupid –– again'_ was left unsaid by the blonde, but Sakumo could almost feel it materialise in the tone of her voice. She was worried about him, he knew. And he couldn't blame her for being overly-attentive with his actions. After all, she _did_ just witness his little harrowing escapade.

"I'm fine," he promised evenly, still patting himself dry. He paused when he reached the spot where the laceration _should_ have been, noticing that Tsunade had not left a scar from her procedure. She made it as if his suicide was nothing but a fantasy –– an illusion he had cast on himself.

Maybe it was for the best.

 **…**

As Tsunade preoccupied herself with the chore of scrubbing the pool of blood off the floor, she held an iota of awareness in her sleeve and listened to the soft movements made in the bathroom. On occasion, when Sakumo's presence would wane from her radar, she would stop all together and listen for any sign of movement from him. When she was satisfied that the man hasn't gone out of his way to become suicidal again, she continued scrubbing.

While cleaning, more often than not, was Tsunade's domain, especially since cleanliness was a prerequisite for a medical ninja, she held great disdain in cleaning blood, and would often leave it for her subordinates to do.

Her eyes grew molten as she persisted with the mundane task of watching the detergent wash the evidence of the bloodstains away. She grimaced harder when flashbacks of Sakumo's frail body –– and then Nawaki's own disfigured body displayed on an operating table –– flashed through her consciousness.

A sudden cold shiver extended through her extremities and into her heart, causing sweat to bead along her hairline, but still, she couldn't break out of her mental entrapment. Comparisons of Nawaki's corpse flashed alongside Sakumo's lifeless body. They were both sullied with blood, but more so Nawaki than Sakumo.

She remembers the expression of horror from the other medical ninjas as they revealed Nawaki's state to her. Nawaki had not come back in _one_ piece; the impact of the explosions, as well as its density in the cave, had torn his body apart into pieces. Even though Orochimaru managed salvage what he could of Nawaki's remains –– what was left of it –– it wasn't enough.

Tsunade shook her head vigorously to keep her emotions at bay. If the wars have taught her anything, it was to not allow her sentiments control her actions. Expression of emotion was what made shinobi weak, but at this moment her feelings threatened to break at the seams.

" _When I grow up, I'm going to be the Hokage! And I'm going to protect our grandfather's treasure."_ Nawaki would always boast with a cheeky smile. She would give anything to see that expression again. _That smile._ She would give her life just to give her brother his second chance. She would ––

"Tsunade?" Sakumo's deep voice rang beside her, just a few feet away. "You didn't have to clean up my mess."

Tsunade turned from his sight and wiped her incoming tears away; she didn't want him to see her weakness. "It's fine. I'm practically finished, anyway." She replied quietly, out of fear that her voice would fail her and crack, inevitably giving her grief away.

Sakumo knelt beside her and placed his hand on top of hers. "I'll finish up here. Please feel free to use my shower. I'd be more than happy to wash your clothes for you, it's the least that I can do."

"No, I've got this."

"I insist."

Their eyes locked in a stalement, faces just inches apart, neither willing to yield under the other's command.

" _Please,"_ Sakumo implored. "You have done enough to wound my pride as a man," he continued in a lighter tone, hoping it would alleviate the tense atmosphere between them.

Tsunade slipped her hand from his grip and gave a silent nod. "T-Thank you…"

"I should really be thanking _you_." Sakumo smiled. "I am in your debt, Tsunade."

The sincerity in his voice, matched with an unpractised but equally genuine smile, was enough to disarm Tsunade. Her stoic expression eased slightly and she mirrored his kind gesture. "Yo-You're welcome."

In all of Sakumo's grandeur as a ninja, he was a simple and reserved man. His reputation as the touted juggernaut of the Leaf sang praises that he, himself, did not acknowledge –– on or off the field. His humble personality, paired with his intellect and popularity among his peers, had caused many fellow shinobi to speculate that Sakumo would be the prime candidate for the seat of Hokage.

That was all before the incident, however.

"I have already put a set of fresh clothes in the bathroom for you," he said. "Just put your clothes outside and I'll collect it."

After Tsunade left to the bathroom, Sakumo noticed that the wooden scrub had splintered at the centre.

He sighed.

 **…**

By the time Tsunade had tiptoed back into the living room, whilst donned in his spare Jōnin attire, he had already hung her washed clothes near the hearth of the fireplace. The fire crackled and shadows painted the walls as soft pitter-patter of the rain thrummed against the windows.

"They should be dry in a couple of hours." Sakumo approached her and offered her a cup of hot chocolate that was coupled with three marshmallows. When she took it in question, he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I don't have any other warm beverages."

Tsunade settled down on the couch and took a sip. "I didn't think that you would be keen on this kind of drink," she mused. "You're really full of surprises."

Sakumo waved his hands in front of him as a sign of defence. "N-No. I don't really prefer this, myself. But Kakashi likes to drink this when it's raining outside."

"Nice save." Tsunade continued to drink the warm beverage as Sakumo comically hung his head in shame. "This was Nawaki's favourite refreshment, too." Her hand comfortably curled around the porcelain mug, appreciating the soft heat it emanated.

"Your brother was the most enthusiastic boy I have ever met." Sakumo remarked as he reclined back on the adjacent couch. "That boy, once his heart was set on something, could be as stubborn as a bull."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed slightly. "He was…." she whispered.

Sakumo sensed her dismay and quickly realised her grief. "I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything…." he stuttered quickly.

She raised her head slightly and softly shook her head. "It's okay –– _really_. I have come to accept his death. But I'm not going to lie, it was excruciatingly hard to…. to move on and forget him."

Sakumo levelled his gaze with her. He understood her pain, perhaps more than she could ever know. Like Tsunade, he had lost his loved one without even knowing it. The Elders chose to inform him only when he arrived from his mission, because they thought that this information would only hinder his performance as a shinobi.

As predicted, they offered their condolences, but Sakumo couldn't feel an ounce of emotion in their voices. It was all for the village, they told him. The victory of the village was dependent on his mission's success, and _that's_ why they concealed the event of his wife's death until he arrived back home.

It was for the village.

The same village who would later ostracise him.

"You do not have to forget your brother," he softly said, "because he _still_ lives in your memories. As long as you are alive, so is he. The memories you have together will never die for as long as you live." He paused for a moment. "That's what my wife used to say, anyway…"

Tsunade fixed her gaze at the melted marshmallows sitting in the centre of the liquid, knowing well that he was right.

"But we're fortunate to have found someone else who we truly love: I have my son and you have your lover." He asserted in a happier tone, as he took it as their silver lining in this ruthless world. "Most people do not get a second chance in finding happiness. But we did." His eyes were the one now to have darted elsewhere, to avoid hers.

If he wore a rueful expression, she didn't see it because it had only been for a brief moment. But the same couldn't be said for the blonde as Sakumo witnessed the bashful pink streaks on her cheeks when he had mentioned Dan.

Her rosied cheeks turned darker when Sakumo displayed his amusement. "I-It's… um…. We're just…" She started to become flustered under his attentive gaze, and her fluttering heart betrayed her composure as it made her fidget around like a love-struck teen.

It had been unexpected, but Sakumo laughed in endearment. "You must really love him." His voice was tender, almost velvet-like. "He's lucky to have you, Tsunade."

Tsunade composed herself and settled the cup back on her lap. "I often think that it's the other way around; Dan has always been the anchor in our relationship. He's always so patient and kind and…. _gentle_. I sometimes think that Dan is too good for me." Her voice grew sweet and affectionate as she spoke about her significant other. It was as if she wasn't _herself._ Even Sakumo had to blink a few times to convince himself otherwise.

"I'd say that you're both lucky to have found each other. I've never seen a couple complement each other this well; you both hold the other half of each other." Sakumo stated matter-of-factly. "I'm just glad that you have found happiness again, Tsuande."

Her lips curled upwards as she took his words close to heart. "Thank you, Sakumo."

 **…**

It was already midnight when Tsunade had gotten into the apartment she shared with Dan. She strode into their bedroom and immediately made out Dan's sleeping form underneath the sheets. As she worked to divest herself from her newly-washed clothes and into her nightwear, she heard a soft rustle of sheets.

"You're home," Dan murmured before he yawned. "Where were you?"

Tsunade laid her clothes on a nearby chair before she rummaged in her closet for clothes. "I was at Sakumo's house," she replied.

"Oh?" Interest piqued in his voice. "How is he?"

"I'd say he's doing better." Tsunade continued to look in her closet.

"That's good to hear." Dan paused to rub his eyes. "He's finally opening up again, huh?"

"You can say that..."

"You know, I've been worried about Sakumo-san. For quite some time I was afraid that the village's malice towards him would drive him to…. _insanity_."

"I'm just glad that he actually talked to me." Tsunade closed her closet and sighed. "How was your shift at the hospital?" She successfully broached on a new topic without alarming her lover.

"Busy. As usual, we were understaffed with trained medical ninjas. I'm just glad that the surgical procedures were simple enough." Dan's attention followed the movement of his lover as she paced back and forth. "Come to bed, Tsuna."

"Y-Yeah, let me just find my shirt –– I swear I ironed it yesterday."

"Just come here like that." Dan lifted the sheets to welcome her. "I'll keep you warm."

She could practically feel him grin but she still submitted. She crawled under the sheets, with only her undergarments, and curled up against her lover. "You're quite the charming pervert," she remarked playfully as she brushed her fingertips along his chiselled jawline.

"I don't know if I'm supposed to be offended or flattered by that," Dan mused openly, clearly confused.

"Flattered." Tsunade answered. "Because, _normally,_ I would not lay in the same bed with a pervert."

Dan smirked as he absently stroked the soft skin of her hip. "Now that you say it like that, I _am_ flattered." He chuckled as he drew her closer into his arms. "We should catch our sleep. We're both tired." He whispered, just a mere breath's away from his lover.

She ran her fingers through his hair and inched closer. "Yeah…" Tsunade playfully kissed Dan on the lips and, as she drew away, Dan placed his hand behind her head and pulled her in for more _._

Tsunade gasped against Dan's soft lips as he moved to deepen their kiss, sensually slipping his tongue into her mouth. Their kisses meshed together with equal fervour as their hands explored each other's bodies like sexually curious teenagers. Her fingers tugged his hair and his hands worshipped her womanly curves.

Tsunade discarded Dan's shirt onto the floor as he spun them around. He softly pinned her down onto the bed and hovered above her for a moment, completely mesmerised by her raw beauty –– and the fact that _only_ he was privy to this side of hers. The pair shared a wordless glance, that spoke their unspoken affection for each other, before he dipped back down to meet her lips.

And just as Dan promised, he kept her warm throughout the night.

 **…**

"I'm home," Kakashi greeted as he kicked his sandals off at the entrance. He frowned when he didn't hear his father's warm voice beckon back. "Where is he?" he grumbled, wandering deeper into their household.

Sakumo was nowhere to be found –– he wasn't in his bedroom, in the living room, or in the kitchen.

Kakashi ruffled his hair, sighing in defeat. "Dad?" he called out again, shaking his head miserably when he was met by emptiness. Just as he was about to venture out into the village to look for his father, he heard faint movements from the back of the house –– their training ground.

Kakashi hurried down the corridor and slid the door to their yard, open. "Dad ––" His voice was caught when he saw his father training with his shadow clones. Weird, he thought. He hasn't seen his father pick up a kunai, let alone undergo rigorous training, in _months._

Sakumo must have sensed Kakashi's chakra, because he –– and the clones –– stopped midway in combat. He looked over his shoulder. "K-Kakashi?" he gasped. "I thought…. Wait… Your mission ––"

"I completed it early, Dad." Kakashi jumped onto the field and sprinted towards him. "But never mind that, you're training again?"

Sakumo dismissed his clones and twirled his kunai back into his pouch. "I was just warming up," he lied smoothly. In truth, he was trying to get back into shape as a shinobi. His skills have deteriorated massively since he plunged into depression. The weight of the kunai was familiar to him, and his taijutsu was reasonable –– but still lacked, completely. "So, have you eaten…?" He paused when he caught the look his son was giving him.

Kakashi was not scowling at him like he usually did. He was _smiling._ His son was smiling _at_ him.

"You're back," was all Kakashi said, but it held more sentiment than he would have wanted to openly express.

Sakumo placed his hands on his waist and chuckled. How _stupid_ was he to forget this feeling? There was a warm heat in his chest, and Sakumo was quick to realise that his son was the source of this feeling.

As long as Kakashi was by his side, he realized, his life was complete. He felt... _alive._ And no one will ever change that. Not even the Village.

The White Fang grinned. "I'm back."

* * *

A/N: I did what I could with the limited time I have this week. :) I will most likely revisit this chapter again.

Also, a _big_ thank you to you readers and reviewers! :D

 **Exciled3**


	3. Chapter 3

**Jaded**

 _Beneath it All_

 **...**

Tsunade had always relished the sweet quietness after lovemaking –– nude bodies intertwined, with heartbeats pulsating together like a dance, in the dark.

She pillowed her head on Dan's chest as he reeled her in by wrapping his arm around her waist. They laid together, still sated in a wave of euphoria, with only their hush breaths filling the void.

Her breathing caught when his spare hand glided down her arm, fingers interlaced with another, and he kissed her hand. She glanced up at him, and chuckled when his lips arched into a warm smile.

This moment felt like a dream. It has been _weeks_ since they have relished peaceful moments such as this, and _months_ since they laid beside each other after their extensive… _coupling._ If only they could remain like this forever...

"I'm going to miss this…" he whispered.

"When are you leaving to help aid Amegakure?" Tsunade asked as she nuzzled him in a soothing caress.

Traces of concern filtered the tone of her voice, but she knew he couldn't hold it against her. Since the treaty between the villages were fortified, a settlement was agreed upon: each village were to provide relief for the other lands that were decimated during the war.

Amegakure was an industrialised village that was plundered and pillaged by different affiliated shinobi during the Second Shinobi War, resulting to the calamity it endured. Even during this time of _'peace'_ between the nations, Tsunade knew that hatred still brewed in the hearts of its civilians and the wounded soldiers. And she knew that this emotion can lead anyone –– even a child –– into a vengeful rage.

"In a couple of days," Dan quietly spoke, not wanting to break their harmony.

Her silence unsettled him.

"I have to help the victims of war, you know that. We all need to put in an effort to make this peace _permanent;_ to make sure that the future generation will not have to experience the ghastly nature of war."

He paused to give her ample time to respond, but she remained quiet.

"Tsunade, there are innocent people there who needs medical attention. I know that you're to remain _here_ until all of our men have recovered, but I'm not as indispensable as you are to this village. The least I can do is help those people –– men, women and children –– who are looking for anyone to aid them," he continued after a small pause. Dan could not blame Tsunade for her innate carefulness, but he hoped he could compensate for her lack of faith with his tenacity and foolish optimism.

" _They_ killed Nawaki in the war," Tsunade bitterly said. She pushed herself up and locked eyes with her lover, lips drawn tight in disapproval. "You can't blame me for being uptight about this. God knows what those people are thinking, Dan. You could be murdered, if all I know!"

Dan propped himself up against the headboard of their bed. Although he did not wear a scorn face, Tsunade knew that he was displeased with their disagreement.

She hung her dejected face, knowing they had reached an impasse. "I just don't want ––"

"You're not going to _lose_ me, Tsunade." Dan calmly interrupted, gaze levelled meaningfully with hers. "I know how you feel, but this _is_ a risk worth taking. This act can lead to a brighter future. And if there's anyone who's a sucker for peace, it's me." He flashed that handsome grin of his, bright and oozing with charm. "I promise you, I _will_ come back to you."

She relented under his hopeful words. Dan has envisioned a completed canvas that can only be comprehended by people like him. Not even the likes of Orochimaru would be able to understand him. Everyone has been jaded by the war and Dan was not an exception, but he held something that many have lost –– a dream.

A sigh slipped past her lips, prolonged and weary, as she pondered various scenarios. But she knew it was pointless to dwell on _what ifs and maybes;_ she had no alternative but to support her lover.

Dan planted a soft kiss on the skin of her back, lips curving back into a grin, knowing that he had just bent her into his favour.

Tsunade laid her head back onto the lush pillows, exhausted, partly from their previous _activity_ but mainly from this conversation. "You and your silver tongue," she huffed, referring to the fact that he has always found a way to make her heart malleable and to his advantage.

"You didn't have any complaints about this _silver-tongue,_ a moment ago." He chuckled as he continued to flower her back with lazy kisses.

"That's because you were too _busy_ to say anything stupid." She shifted on the bed and allowed for silence to instill amongst them again.

"Tell me what you're thinking…" Dan murmured against her warm porcelain skin, understanding that her lack of words was not a sign of total acceptance.

"You're too good for this world." She whispered back, soft and genuine, as she gripped her beloved grandfather's accursed necklace against her ample bosom.

She loves the man, more so than she would care to admit, but as she held the crystal –– her personal memento mori –– in her hands, she accepted the grim reality of the shinobi world. Humans are fragile beings; they will all perish one day, let it be in honour or in simplicity, and that is a reality everyone must acknowledge.

Everyone has different stories, in how they have lived their lives, but everyone has the same ending: _death._

Death is what defines a shinobi. People can die by protecting what they believe in, or by revolutionising the entire system in the most unfathomable way imaginable. But if death is what defines a true shinobi, it is the journey that moulds a man into a martyr for their conviction.

And, if there's anything Tsunade knew, it was that martyrs can never be fully understood.

"Go do what you have to do."

 **…**

The same faces and the same scrutiny. Sakumo could almost swear that he has entered an endless loop of his worst nightmare.

Kakashi was walking rigidly beside him, as if he was his protector from this volatile _mob,_ with steeled eyes of a prideful shinobi. But every now and then, Sakumo would catch his son's demeaner shift to something akin to jaded and _hurt._

"I told you that I would go by myself, Dad." Kakashi whispered under his breath, discrete enough for only his father to hear. His hands were balled into tight fists, knuckles white as snow under the pressure of his grip, so he could leash his emotions.

Sakumo proceeded to walk among the unwelcoming crowd, feigning ignorance of their spiteful comments and hateful glares. He kept a firm grip on his son's shoulder to calmly usher him away from the Sea of False Patriots –– people who he knew would dress in Sheep's clothing in order to be safe from the hunters, instead of being a Wolf who's willing to bare their teeth at those who dare threaten their Family.

 _Hypocritical cowards._

It seemed that life outside of the Hatake compound remained idempotent. Even after taking refuge in his home for six months, the civilians still held a grudge against his cowardice, despite the fact that _he_ –– the dubbed _coward ––_ is the reason why their sons and husbands are still alive today.

As he guided his son through the main commercial, Sakumo's acute hearing picked up on a couple of scoffs and hushed mutters between several nosy housewives who decided they didn't have anything better to do.

"I hear that the Hokage relieved him from the force, you know."

"That's not all, I hear he's not in the ranks anymore!"

"What wasted potential. He could have been something, but look at him now: so haggard and tarnished looking."

"I feel more sorry for his son, since he has to carry his father's shame. I can't even begin to imagine how hard it is for that boy to have a father like him."

As they continued to manoeuvre through the streets, Sakumo internally sighed in relief as his son's hearing was not as refined as his. He could only imagine what kind of new hell Kakashi would bring to the crowd if he had heard a tenth of what he has.

"I find it hard to think that he is the White Fang, because look at him now! Nothing like what the stories said about him. I guess that's what it all was –– _stories_." Another woman jabbed quietly to her companion as she scrutinized the veteran from head to toe, appraisingly.

Sakumo took another breath. Thank God, Kakashi was still ––

" _What did you say?"_ Kakashi had slipped out of his grip and turned to the woman's direction, _seething_. His hands were now shaking with anger.

Kakashi _wanted_ to correct these false observations and labels they had attached onto his father's character, even though he knew he would be betraying his father's wishes.

His eyes met theirs, and the voices hushed.

He opened his mouth to speak –– to let them know that they were wrong about his father, that he _is_ brave –– but Sakumo's hand was on his shoulder again, purposely steadying his juvenile rage from running rampant. "Do not feed the fire." He calmly spoke, pulling him back against his hip.

Kakashi bowed his head and obeyed his father, clinging onto his words like a lifeline and using it to bottle in his anger. "Yes, Dad."

They turned into an alleyway: a shortcut towards the market and an opportunity to escape horde. Sakumo knelt down in front of Kakashi, with a weakened smile. "That was scary, wasn't it?"

"Infuriating," the five-year old corrected in a sharp tone.

Sakumo chuckled. "Where do you learn these big words?"

"I read a lot," he bluntly said.

Sakumo mussed up his child's silver locks with a big grin. "You're truly like your mother, you know that?"

Kakashi shrugged as he fought back his smile. It was always a compliment he took to heart.

"So you say, father…."

 **…**

Civilian life was lacklustre but peaceful. Having been back from the cut-throat environment of the Second Shinobi War, it was hard to adjust to the amicable and harmonious setting, even if this was his home.

His defined reptilian eyes drank in his surroundings, watching its inhabitants interact with one another –– all smiles and merriment as they celebrated their freedom from war and discussed the proclaimed heroes amid the warfare –– and he grimaced in disdain.

 _This_ is what they fought to protect: a village full of ignorant imbeciles. Not one of them have the right to scrutinize the ninja of the Leaf. Together, every ninja has fought, bled and _died_ out of love and loyalty for the village, for these people who would not hesitate to slander them with the same lips they use to praise their bravery when it suited them.

They kiss the feet of those who are acknowledged as a hero, and shame those who have not reached their standard of what made a shinobi. His golden eyes narrowed disgustedly; heroes were but a farce. In the battlefield, there are only survivors, all marred and scarred by blood they can no longer distinguish from their own, with scars deeper than _physical_ wounds.

Heroes do not exist. Yet these people still preach about it obsessively.

The civilians' endless chatter and squabble amongst themselves became white noise to his ears; all convoluted and nonsensical intertwined into a ball of tumult. Exasperated for being weltered into other people's affairs for too long, he rose from his seat and paid for his tea.

"It's on the house," the woman insisted with a smile. "It's the least I can do to thank you, Orochimaru. After all, you are a hero––"

"You're mistaken." He sneered, pushing his change back onto the table, before he activated the Body Flicker to escape her protest.

 **…**

After the arduous task of practically handing himself to a pack of hounds in the streets, Sakumo was thankful that the journey from the market was pleasantly cordial.

"Why did Hokage-sama relieve you from your duties?" Kakashi asked when they came home. He then gestured to the paperwork that was left on the kitchen table.

"My contribution has been inadequate as of recently." Sakumo's gaze didn't leave his sword; his fingers toyed with the hilt of his blade, though he hasn't used it in earnest recently, the familiar weight of his sword gave him comfort.

Kakashi nodded as if to say that he understood (but not necessarily accepted).

Sakumo sheathed his inherited blade back. "Things will get better," he reassured with an apologetic smile.

"That's why you're training again."

"Yes." He admitted with a nod. "I'm a shinobi. I still have my duties to perform for the Village."

"Even after the people of the Leaf humiliated you."

"Until my last breath," Sakumo curtly answered truthfully with unwavering ambition in the depths of his onyx eyes.

 _Until your last breath, huh?_ Kakashi mockingly repeated in his mind. Sometimes he couldn't understand his father –– maybe it was because he wasn't too naïve, or maybe because he was too caustic towards the village –– but he desperately _wanted_ to, out of his love and respect for him. As things stood, however, he knew they were at an impasse. He would never accept the people who have disparaged his father, but his father would gladly protect them with his own skin. He internally shook his head. He just _couldn't_ understand.

"I'm going out to the library." Kakashi suddenly informed, hand clenched.

"Be back before sundown," Sakumo reminded gently as he watched him shuffle to the entrance.

"Yes, Dad." His voice echoed from the entrance before the wood of the door scraped against the floor.

Sakumo pushed himself up from his seat and headed back to their private training room. He then paused, mid-step, upon noticing a shadow in his peripheral. "Have you been here long?" he asked, straightening his posture.

The shadow materialised into a man –– _Orochimaru_ –– and his ghostly lips slanted into a grin. "You're not as rusty as people make you out to be, Sakumo."

"Trust me, I am. In my prime, I would have noticed your presence the moment you entered my home," he said matter-of-factly. "But I doubt that you're here because you're interested in my progress."

"There has been talk about you, unsavoury ones, across the Land of Fire." Orochimaru remained against the wall, arms folded together, as he asserted a poised stance. "I came here to confirm the rumours. They are half right, I suppose."

Sakumo rubbed the back of his neck. "And you're not here to gloat?"

"Do I look like I would relish in that sort of thing?" he asked, eyes hardened on him.

"Perhaps on a foe."

"And you're no foe, Sakumo."

"Mhm… and now that you've satisfied your curiosity, what will you do now?"

Orochimaru's hands now rested on his hips. "The Leaf is as stale as an empty tavern –– not that I ever divulge into such social areas –– and I need some sort of enlightenment."

Sakumo wore a quizzical expression. "You've lost me, Orochimaru."

He twirled out his kunai. "When was the last time you've pointed _that_ sword at anyone?"

"I can't remember…" Sakumo replied, eyebrows knitting together.

"I haven't trained in days and it's already grating on me." He spun the weapon around his finger, nonchalantly. "You've truly fallen at the bottom of the barrel, Sakumo. I can't imagine living in idleness so complacently. I don't see why _you_ are."

"And here I thought that you weren't here to gloat," he remarked jokingly. His arched lips then fell downcast, stripped away from its crumbling façade. "I'm not living in _idleness_. Not anymore. I can't have Kakashi seeing me like this, and using the library as an excuse to get away from me." His onyx eyes narrowed "I _need_ to be my old self again..."

Orochimaru's golden serpentine eyes glinted in response at his ultimatum. It looks like the White Fang has bared his teeth once more.

"Now that you're here, why won't you spar with me?" He offered. "It will be like the old days." The golden days where the two touted prodigies would clash in a friendly duel, despite their Homeroom teachers' protests. Regardless of not having a clear outcome in these juvenile brawls, it gave both ninjas enough indulgence in their skills, to spur them on to sharpen their skills for the next them they would cross paths.

Orochimaru gave him a side-eye. "I never took you for a sentimental fool." His pale lips then tugged up slightly as he gave a quiet ' _hmph'._ "I'm not good at holding back, you know."

Sakumo's unsheathed his sharpened blade. "Neither am I."

 **…**

After Kakashi collected his book from the library, he haphazardly meandered around the village. He walked, with his nose buried in his book, whilst giving occasional upward glances to avoid potential jostling with others. As he was about to leap up to the trees to gain some shade, he was stopped.

"Kakashi!" A breathless voice called.

He turned and looked on. An auburn girl amidst the crowd hurriedly tried to intercept him, and a reluctant dark-haired boy followed closely behind.

He quirked his eyebrow. "Aren't you guys supposed to be in the Academy?"

"Sensei had an emergency meeting." The black-haired boy answered.

"That's why Obito and I are heading to the playground!" she chirped, practically beaming.

"Have fun," Kakashi replied half-heartedly. He raised his book up again and was ready to leave.

"Play with us." Obito grumbled bashfully. "I-I mean, we need another person. And you're here now," he hastily added. "Right, Rin?"

She vehemently agrees and smiles. "We also want to hear about your first mission, Kakashi!"

Obito staggered back. "You-You've already had your first mission?" he shrieks, paled-faced.

Kakashi pockets his book into his pouch, knowing well that his reading session had just been interrupted. He then casually shrugs. "Well, I _am_ a ninja now." He says without an ounce of pride. It was, after all, just a D-ranked mission.

The Uchiha boy snorted and turned his back at him. "I will be one soon, too…" He then pointed down at his proud clan's sigil. "And then I'm going to be the Hokage!"

"Focus on getting to genin before you dream about becoming Hokage." Kakashi replied impassively, already weary of his repetitive announcement.

Before Obito could snap back at him like a sharp whip, his arm was grabbed by Rin. "Come on. The guys are waiting for us!" she reminded, quick enough to dispel the tension between the two boys. "You're coming, right, Kakashi?"

Kakashi tucked his hands into his pockets and walked ahead of them. "Shall we play kick-the-can?" he asked, turning his head slightly to look at a pouting Obito. "I'll be ' _it'_ this time."

"Bring it!" Obito growled. "I'll beat you anyway!"

 **…**

After running amock like headless chickens in a farm –– but without much gratification –– the prideful Uchiha finally collapsed onto his back and internally threw a tantrum. His other classmates followed suit and sat on the swings, each regaining their breaths.

"Obito! Are you okay?" Rin shrieked, wide-eyed. Her voice was laden with worry for the raven-haired boy, and it unsettled him. Why does she always sound so worried for him? He didn't need her pity. He didn't _want_ it.

"Aren't you going to beat me, Obito?" Kakashi mockingly asked as his shadow loomed over him.

"Just give me a minute!" Obito snarled as he remained laid on the ground, panting and sweating for his life. He gritted his teeth together as he sensed Kakashi's ego inflate even more. Honestly, he wished he could wipe off that smug face of his.

"You said that five minutes ago."

"Man, this is getting boring!" Their classmate groaned exasperatedly. "We already know you're good, Kakashi. Stop showing off, already!"

Kakashi placed his hand on his hip and directed his attention at his former classmate, Tenchi. "It's not my fault that you're too slow." He deadpanned in his usual candour.

"Not all of us are slaves, you know." He sharply remarked. "Unlike your dad, our dads let us have _fun_. We don't train every minute of the day until we drop."

"And that's why you haven't graduated yet…"

"Who cares? The war has ended; they don't need more ninja right now!" He growled before he turned away. "Anyway, many people in our class think that the only reason why you were accelerated was because of your father."

"Stop it, Tenchi! We're just playing a game." Rin snapped sharply, but he didn't seem to recoil from her tenacity.

"Yeah. _We're_ playing but _he's_ taking it too seriously, like he always does." He folded his arms behind his head. "It must be great having a dad high up in the ranks, right, Kakashi?"

"My dad isn't all that high up."

"Oh, yeah. Wasn't it _your_ dad who broke the rules and cowered away from the mission?"

"He didn't cower…" Kakashi's neutral expression now turned tensed.

"I'm ready to kick your ass now, Kakashi!" Obito announced, despite not being out from the rigours of fatigue, in hopes that he could derail their heated conversation into a neutral ground. His smile waned when he realised the stiff pressure Kakashi was emanating in the atmosphere.

This was about to get _real_ ugly, Obito's gut told him.

"Really? My dad said that your dad was so scared for his life that he ran home." Tenchi's face was now enlightened with a snide expression as Kakashi's face grew grimmer.

"Was your dad there?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Then your dad should be thankful that he's able to keep his life."

"What was that?!"

"Without my dad, yours would have been six feet under the ground. My dad fought to save his comrades, like an honourable shinobi."

"That's not what my dad says." He looked at his classmates. "Right, guys? What did yours say?"

They seemed hesitant to join into the conversation, but with subtle prompting from Tenchi, they forfeited. Almost in unison, their shoulders slumped forward and they shared a small look with each other, as if to contemplate which decision was right. After a second of silence, they nodded at each other and spoke.

"T-That Kakashi's dad abandoned them to save his own skin…"

"My father said that he didn't want to finish the mission because he knew that they were outnumbered." Another added.

"See?" Tenchi grinned. "You're telling me that your dad is telling the truth when many of my peers' dads tell similar stories? Face it, Kakashi, your dad is a fraud _and_ a coward."

"Guys, stop it." Rin clutched at Kakashi's shoulder. "They're just kidding. S-So don't take them too seriously, okay?"

Tenchi snorted. "I wish I was. But it's the truth –– Kakashi's father is the biggest disgrace in the Leaf's shinobi history."

Kakashi's hand clenched together.

"Forget it, I'm going home. There's no point in playing with a freakish prodigy." He gestured for his friends to follow him. "Come on, guys. Let's go to my house. Apparently, Mom is cooking up oyakodon."

As they shuffled out of the park, Kakashi turned his back at them and yanked his book out. Although he was reluctant to leave the issue unsolved, he was too keen to finish the third chapter before sundown –– before he had to come back home. "I'm going, too."

"You guys don't have to leave!" Obito protested. "Come on! One more round."

"No thanks." Tenchi bluntly declined, looking back over his tall collar. "Besides it's not like Kakashi is staying either. It looks like he's going to run away like his father." He shrugged. "Like my father always says: once a coward always a coward. Isn't that right, Kakashi? Isn't that why your father is hiding away in your house?"

Kakashi closed his book and paused.

"You're going too far, Tenchi…." One of his friends murmured.

But the defeated look of the prodigy was too satisfying for him to stop. "If that's not what a coward is, I don't know what is."

Much to his horror, that was the last straw for Kakashi to bolt towards him.

" _Don't talk about my dad anymore!"_

His knuckles connected with Tenchi's face, and a distinct _crack_ echoed.

* * *

A/N: Oh, hello. This chapter is long overdue, but I didn't have the time to whip this chapter up until now. Know that I _won't_ be abandoning this story any time soon, but updates may be a pain in the ass. (I'm definitely not giving up the chance to write the Sannin and the White Fang).

I've been dabbling with different writing styles and settled with this simplistic style. I'll get better in the future, I promise, but this will have to do. XD

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I have! It's been fun messing with the DanTsu dynamic, as well as writing Sakumo again (seriously, this guy needs an arc!).

Thank you for reading! :)

 **Exciled3**


	4. Chapter 4

**Jaded**

 _Duty_

 **...**

Perhaps it was because he had bottled up his rage for far too long, or, maybe, it was because the cold stares of the civilians still grated on him. Either way, he couldn't find it in the fibres of his body to _stop._

He knew that Tenchi couldn't fight back, that he _shouldn't_ have minded his juvenile beckoning, but every pulsating cell in his body screamed for him to _release it all._ He felt Tenchi's nose crack and a small gust of wind whip past his body, as he felt his momentum land. Grimacing deeply as he watched Tenchi's body crash onto the ground, Kakashi felt regret in the pit of his stomach.

But Kakashi had to commend Tenchi for _trying_. The boy tried to engage in a small scuffle with him by pulling him down onto the ground, but for someone of Kakashi's calibre, that was child's play. He allowed for Tenchi to land a blow on his face before he retaliated with an equally brutal strike to his stomach, resulting to sharp tremors sizzling throughout his arm.

Kakashi ascended off from the boy and cradled his bloody fist; the sharp sting ebbing from his knuckles hurt, but he felt satisfied with the bitter sensation. He winced slightly upon rolling his shoulder back. A distinct _click_ made his jaw clench and his eyes tear. The force he subconsciously pumped into his dominant ligament seemed to have injured him more than Tenchi.

"Don'tget up…." Kakashi warned as he swayed from side to side. "Please…. just _don't_."

Children from the playground aggregated around them, like moths to a flame, and gaped at the silver-haired prodigy, with both fear and awe plaguing their features. But both Obito and Rin gave him a look of despair, as if they were disappointed parents.

"Kakashi––"

" _You won't get away with this!"_ Tenchi bellowed as he jabbed his finger at him. "I'll tell my brother…. my father. Just you wait!" His weltered tears finally cascaded over his rosy cheeks, and he cried in pain.

Obito placed his hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "We should bring you guys to the hospital," and much to his surprise, Kakashi nodded in agreement.

Just as Kakashi leaned his weight against Obito's frame, the crowd that encircled them split like the Red Sea. Both children looked ahead and saw an older boy, possibly 7 years their senior, and immediately felt rigid. He possessed the same chocolate hair and greyed eyes as Tenchi. So, he must be ––

"Who did this to my brother?" He sharply inquired.

––well damn, they both thought.

Tenchi was still crying his eyes out when his brother examined his broken nose. "He-he did, brother. He did! He just…. came at me for no reason!"

"That's not true!" Rin protested back, quickly standing in between the brothers and her friends. "You were teasing Kakashi! We told you to stop."

"I was not!" Tenchi growled before looking at his companions. "Right, guys?"

"R-Right…" they agreed in unison, albeit divided about it.

Tenchi's brother rose and overshadowed both Obito and Kakashi. "So, you think it's okay to bully my baby brother, hm?"

Obito instinctively took a step back when he felt the pressure build up from the brother's presence. There's no way they could take him on! He's _huge_ and his maturing body was much more refined than theirs. It's obvious that he was leagues above their skill level –– even for someone like Kakashi.

" _You_ ," he pointed straight at Kakashi with a vindictive tone in his voice. "You're the prodigy, aren't you?" His eyes narrowed as he analysed Kakashi's stature appraisingly. "Just because you're stronger than my baby brother, you thought that you could pick on him, eh?"

Kakashi stood his ground and raised his chin up to the Chūnin, levelling his gaze at him with the same intensity.

"Oh, you think you're tough, _prodigy_." He snorted derisively. "You better think wisely, because I'm a Chūnin and you're nothing but a tiny Genin." Confident that he had instated his dominance over the child, he placed his hand on his hip and grinned triumphantly. "So, I want you to apologise to my baby brother. If you do that, I'll forget that this ever happened. If you don't ––"

"I'm not apologising," Kakashi responded quickly.

"What?"

"I'm not apologising until _he_ apologises for ridiculing my dad."

"I didn't ridi-ridu –– whatever you said –– your dad! Stop lying, Kakashi!" Tenchi growled in the sidelines.

"You're not going to apologise?"

Before Kakashi could even bat an eyelash at the Chūnin, the air in his lungs was forcefully punched out of his system, and his vision blurred behind the tears that stung his eyes.

" _Kakashi!"_ Rin gasped as he skidded on the ground.

"Get an adult, Rin." Obito instructed in a frightened tone.

"O-Okay." She quickly grabbed her schoolbag and dashed out of the playground.

Kakashi fell into a crouch stance as he heaved for oxygen. There was no doubt about it, Tenchi's brother was _strong;_ he didn't even anticipate his movements because he was too fast. So, this is what a Chūnin is like in battle.

The older boy stood a few meters from him with a livid expression. His eyes were wild with anger at Kakashi's defiance, but he clenched his jaw to he could regulate his fury. "You're being a smartass, you know. And nobody likes smartasses."

Another surprise came when he sprinted towards him. Kakashi had already anticipated that, however, and substituted his body with a replacement log when the strike came. The older boy's befuddlement caused him to stagger for a second, granting Kakashi enough time to land a kick on the back of his head.

The impact was only enough to leave him dazed, but the consequence of this action proved to be more than what Kakashi bargained for. "Did you just kick me?" he growled as he touched his scalp. He turned around with a crazed look fixed on his face. " _You_ –– a Genin –– kicked _me?_ "

Obito observed in the background with beads of sweat trickling on his temple. While he found it epic for Kakashi to surprise someone a league above them, he knew that all he did was feed fuel to the Wildfire. _Run, Kakashi_ he prayed like a mantra.

But, as he anticipated, Kakashi stood his ground with his ultimatum steeled in his eyes. He crouched forward slightly, and his muscles tightened in anticipation of when the next strike would come. _Amazing…_ Obito thought. Kakashi was just a Genin, but it was clear that his calibre was just a hairline shy from Tenchi's brother. That said, his body was not strong enough to withstand a _twelve-year_ old's punch.

Kakashi was not going to last.

When the Chūnin stepped towards Kakashi, Obito's body subconsciously moved and intercepted his movement, much to both combatant's surprise. _What the…._ Obito internally thought as his own hands formed a series of handseals without his consent. How did he end up being in the _middle_ of them?!

Tenchi's brother's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the Uchiha forming the infamous Tiger seal. "Don't tell me that he's already perfected it!"

 _Here goes nothing…._ Obito sighed, knowing that it was too late to stop his heroic escapade. Maybe this could impress Rin enough that he could ask her on a playdate with him, he thought at the back of his mind. A smile formed on his lips. "Fire style ––"

"Idiot," Kakashi said under his breath.

"––Fireball jutsu!"

Immediately, the teen jumped to the side in hopes to evade the incoming technique. However, what was supposed to be an impressive spectacle became a sham when only a puff of smoke came out of Obito's mouth.

"Oh crap, I blew it again…." He groaned before he wiped his tongue with the sleeve of his shirt. "I'm sure I had all the correct handseals."

"Get out of the way!" Kakashi shrieked.

" _Aaaaannnd_ Tiger." He formed the last handseal with a quizzical look. "This doesn't look right," he mused.

"I don't think this is the right time for you to be getting off topic, Obito." Kakashi chided.

"H-Hey, I _nearly_ got it right!"

"I don't care. I didn't ask you to jump in and meddle in this!"

"Well excuse me, you were not exactly winning here."

"I had it in control."

"You liar, you did no––"

" _Hey, brats…."_ A deathly voice interrupted their squabble, and the stiff aura transformed into something akin to bloodlust. He emerged from the sandpit he haphazardly dove into with a face darkened with indescribable intent.

Even Kakashi felt weak under his potent presence. He swallowed hard and prepared himself for the worst.

"You, Uchiha, actually _humiliated_ me. Well, I hope it was worth it, because I'm coming for you next."

"When I say run, you _run._ Got it?" Kakashi whispered.

"Yeah…."

Within a split second, Tenchi's brother was already dashing towards them with a kunai in hand. _"I'm going to make you pay!"_

" _GO!"_ Kakashi instructed as he braced himself to take the full brunt of the attack with his pouch. Surely the books inside it will absorb all the impact that kunai will inflict on him.

However, before the enraged Chūnin could even attempt to land his attack, the ground split in half below him, resulting for him to fall miserably on his face, just a few feet from Obito.

Everyone's face paled. Tenchi and his friends' jaws dropped to the floor upon feeling the vibrations of sheer power.

"Huh?" Obito blinked several times. "Di-Did I do that?" he asked in disbelief in the assumption that his footwork was the catalyst to such destructive power.

"Idiot," Kakashi snarled again. "It was not you."

"Then who did it?!"

"Kakashi, Obito!" Rin was sprinting to them. "I found someone!"

"What is with this commotion? It's sundown, all of you should be going home." A voice snapped like a sharp whip.

Obito looked on and saw a blonde clad in her civilian outfit, glaring at all of them. _"H-Her…?!"_

"I should have known," Kakashi sighed. _It's over now….._

The teen rose up on his feet and dusted himself off. Instead of looking to his side and seeing the impatient Jōnin, his attention remained rooted on Kakashi and Obito. "We're not finished yet." As he dragged his left foot forward, an unexpected spike in chakra spewed throughout the playground.

"Take another step from that line behind you and you will _regret_ it…." Tsunade firmly warned.

It may have been that her chakra injected some sanity back into him, or that he realised that he was sorely outmatched, because he released the weapon from his grip and fell onto his knees. His breathing was shaken, and his lips were trembling. "I-I'm….."

"Brother!" Tenchi rushed to his side. "A-Are you alright?"

"Go home, the lot of you. I will report this incident to the Hokage and you will be disciplined for this." She looked at the teen who was nearly reduced to tears of embarrassment. "You're older than these children, and you were going to throw them around? Maybe you need to have your title stripped from you because you're clearly not fit to be a Chūnin."

"N-No… I-I-I was just protecting my baby brother!" He argued back. "I-I can't be demoted. My fa-father…. I don't want to be…"

"It will be up to the Hokage. Lucky for you, he is more forgiving than I am." She then directed her attention to Kakashi. "And you…." Her tone softened, and she shook her head. "You need to receive treatment in the hospital. I'll also call your father over to talk to you."

Kakashi bowed his head down and nodded. He should have known that it would come to this.

Tsunade knelt down beside Tenchi and placed her palm on his broken nose, promptly healing it back to normal. The damage wasn't severe enough for him to be hospitalised, but it did need immediate attention. "And you should not provoke anyone if you can't handle the consequences, you hear?"

Tenchi tearfully nodded. "Y-Yes, ma'am…"

She wiped the tear off his rosy cheeks. "Now, go. Your mother must be worried sick."

"Will the Hokage really find out about this?" One of Tenchi's friends asked.

"I'm afraid so," she answered. "It will be up to him to find an appropriate punishment for _all_ of you."

There were whines of protest from the bystanders, but they eventually accepted the outcome. When all the other children went home, Tsunade flicked Kakashi on the forehead.

" _Ow!"_ He staggered back and pouted at her. "What was that for?"

"I'm trying to re-align your brain to the right place! Those with a _functioning_ brain aren't stupid enough to pick fights like a barbarian!"

Obito stood gleefully as the blonde berated Kakashi's rash action of choosing violence to protect his father's integrity. Rin, on the other hand, didn't know how to approach the situation. Seldom does she see Kakashi get so overwhelmed that he becomes a stuttering _child_. No smart quips. Nothing.

Honestly, she found it cute.

"Hypocrite…" Kakashi finally muttered.

"What was that?" Tsunade raised her eyebrow and dared him to repeat himself.

"At least I don't punch walls to relieve stress."

 _Never mind,_ Rin thought.

"I'm surprised the Hokage hasn't filed a hefty fine on you for destruction of _public_ property," he lazily continued.

Tsunade's eyebrows twitched at the smart alec. "Oh, you're such a smartass, kid."

"You know, that's like the second time someone has called Kakashi a smartass, Rin…" Obito whispered.

Just as Kakashi was about to jab his finger at the blonde, a click of his bones caused him to whimper in pain. His eyes twitched, but he stood resolute. There was no way that he was going to sully his reputation by showing weakness!

Tsunade sighed and took him by his collar, despite his fiery protests. "Come on, brat. We need to patch you up before your father comes."

"Put me down!" Kakashi demanded. "I-I'm not a kid!"

"Tell me that when you're taller than me, _kid_." Tsunade bit back. She then glanced back at Kakashi's companions. "Are you alright walking home?"

"Y-Yes!" Rin stuttered immediately. "T-Thank you again, T-Tsunade-sama…."

The medic smiled sweetly. "It's no problem, Rin-chan."

Obito frowned as he inspected Rin's flustered state. "W-What's up with you?"

"Isn't she so cool?"

"Who?"

"Tsunade-sama, of course!"

Obito shrugged. "She's alright…"

"I want to be as strong as her…."

Obito chuckled and folded his arms behind his head. "You'll be much better than her, Rin!" When she didn't respond to his flattery, he looked at her and saw complete idolisation in her eyes as she watched Tsunade drag their stubborn friend to the hospital.

"She was pretty cool, I guess."

 **...**

Tsunade sighed in relief as she finished healing his arm. "So, what's your side of the story?" she finally asked after being absorbed in silence.

"Tenchi was sullying my dad's name."

"And that warranted several punches to the stomach?" She moved to add some kinesiology tape over his shoulder blade to add temporary support.

"He didn't have the right to say those things."

"And you didn't have the right to punch him."

"He started it. I wasn't looking for trouble." Kakashi's hand smoothed over his dominant hand and he grimaced at the tinge of pain that remained. "People are always whispering about my dad; they call him a coward, a traitor, a degenerate shinobi." His eyes knitted together, and his eyes hardened with anger. "And my dad just lets them. If he isn't going to protect his honour, then it is up to me to do so."

"Your father is handling this better than you think." She knew that this was a white lie, but she wanted to lift the boy's spirits. He looked crestfallen and vulnerable with his fiery personality stripped back, and she knew that _hearing_ the truth about his father's weakness would send him careening down into seething bitterness towards the unjust ways of the village.

Kakashi seemed to buy her reassurance when he smiled.

"Your father is _still_ strong." Not a lie, entirely. Sakumo's strength, although jaded as of late, far surpasses her and her teammates –– the infamous Legendary Sannin of the Second Shinobi War. His infamy sang far and wide from Sunakagure to where they resided in the war, Amegakure. Sakumo painted the golden sands red and conquered their strongholds, _single-handedly._ So by measure of strength, Sakumo reigned supreme, second to none.

In terms of _emotional_ strength, however, Sakumo's heart is by far the weakest. Then again, even Tsunade could sympathise with his situation –– being ripped from his title, made redundant by the Hokage, and having most of his peers turn their backs on him is enough to make anyone curl into a ball of self-isolation.

But upon seeing the collateral damage of his self-destruction –– of Kakashi feeling the burden and _responsibility_ to be the protector of the family –– Tsunade couldn't help but feel a tinge of bitterness for Sakumo. He could he _not_ see how much his son was hurting?

Tsunade sat beside him and swept his hair back. "Don't do anything rash like that again, you hear?" she levelled her gaze with the boy and waited for a sign of agreement. She settled with the nod he eventually gave her. "You love your father, I know. But he wouldn't want to see you hurt like this."

"Their words hurt more than this…." Kakashi whispered with his head still cast down.

 **...**

Speckles of glistening sweat covered both Jōnin's torso as they collided again and again; fists meeting forearms, legs burrowing deep into their abdomen, knuckles crushing against bone with shattering momentum.

Sakumo attempted to side-sweep Orochimaru's legs off from the ground, but the serpent was agile enough to land a kick to his chest whilst dodging his attack. However, Orochimaru's leg was caught by Sakumo and he was hurled to the other end of the sparring room.

Orochimaru regained his footing and flipped back on his feet. They stood adjacent from each other, panting and smirking, with their innate drives for battle screaming for them to continue the battle. Sakumo was the first to rise, so elegantly but with enough masculinity that Orochimaru's wariness didn't wane. His serpentine eyes glowed in anticipation of what the silver-haired man would do next. Sakumo was getting sharper with his movements, as if his body was readjusting itself back to its prime before his very own eyes. This man was truly interesting!

"Your taijutsu has gotten better, Orochimaru."

"That, or you have just become shit at taijutsu."

Sakumo guffawed before he slicked his thick locks back. " _That_ could be a possibility."

Orochimaru wiped the droplet of sweat off his chin and assumed his fighting stance again. Both Jōnin fell into stalement as they both waited for the other to make the first move. When Orochimaru's breathing finally reached equilibrium, he flickered behind him and had his fist ready. "You're mine!"

Sakumo smirked. _"Naïve!"_ He grappled onto Orochimaru's arm and flipped him down onto the mat, back first. "You underestimated me, Orochimaru…" He twisted his arm slightly and pinned him down on the ground. "In a real battle, I would have snapped your arm in two."

"And in a real battle, I would have extended my neck and suffocated you." He snarled back.

"It's a draw, then." Sakumo concluded as he released his arm.

"For now, but I intend to remedy that when you've fully recovered."

"You know," Sakumo said as he slipped back into his shirt, "I know that you weren't taking me seriously."

"I could say the same to you," he replied as he zipped his Jōnin vest up.

"I was trying a lot harder than you think."

"Like you said, you're not in your prime. I don't expect you to be as sharp as you were during the War, Sakumo."

Sakumo worked to stretch all his vexed muscles as he gathered his breath again. "Thank you for the warmup. It's gotten my blood flowing." He pushed himself down and started to do a short set of push-ups to further accelerate his heartrate. _This_ thrill was what his body missed, and now that he has felt it, he didn't want the hit of dopamine giving him a high to go.

"I wasn't doing you any favours…."

"Maybe, but you did help. For that, I thank you."

As Orochimaru shuffled to reach for his forehead protector, a sudden thrum of footsteps barged into Sakumo's home without ample warning. The silver-haired man raised his eyebrow at Orochimaru, who responded with the same expression. Those movements did not sound like Kakashi's; apart from it sounding like a horde of elephants, it sounded like the person was unfamiliar with the house's structure.

Just as Sakumo was about to wield his blade, the sliding door of the training room was torn open. "There you are!" Tsunade exasperatedly said before she locked eyes with her comrade. "O-Orochimaru...? What are you doing here?"

"Am I not allowed to see friends, Princess?" He drawled.

"I didn't think you would be slithering out of your cocoon any time soon," she responded. "Especially just to see Sakumo."

"H-Hey!" Sakumo said, wounded by the blonde.

"It-It's not –– that's not what I meant."

Orochimaru chuckled, low and sinister, obviously gloating at her. "Then what _did_ you mean, Princess?"

She shook her head and dismissed his usual candour, deciding that their childish banter would have to take a raincheck. "Sakumo, you need to come with me."

"W-What's wrong?" He frowned.

"It's Kakashi, he ––"

Before she could articulate herself, he had already pushed past her and ran out of his house. She sighed and followed him out. "Wait! You didn't hear me out!"

"I'll just let myself out, I guess…" Orochimaru huffed as the door of the house slammed shut.

 **…**

"Which room is Kakashi in?" Sakumo frantically asked as he trudged through the halls of the hospital.

"If you could let me talk ––"

"I need to see him first," he sternly said. "Tell me where he is, Tsunade."

"Room 104…."

Sakumo barged through the corridor with his shoulders squared and his head held up high. All the medical personnel shared glances with each other when he breezed past them, but their chance to gossip about the man was cut short by Tsunade's glare. They fell into stammers and immediately bowed their heads in respect. She snorted in response and continued to tail behind Sakumo.

"Cowards," she muttered. If they were going to scrutinize the man for his cowardice, they should have the backbone to confront resistance. But they didn't even think of doing so when they made eye contact with her. A coward was one thing, but a _hypocritical_ coward was another. If there was anything she hated it was ––

 _Thump._

Her nose buried into Sakumo's back when he took an abrupt stop. She staggered back and looked at the man in surprise. "What is it?" she asked when he froze at the door.

"Was he badly hurt?"

"No, Sakumo, he wasn't. But if I didn't show up, Kami knows what would have happened to him."

"Who hurt my son?" His hand was now trembling.

"Genta's eldest son."

" _What?_ How did Genta's son cross paths with Kakashi?"

"It would be best if Kakashi explained this." She approached him and placed her hand on top of his. "Kakashi is alright, Sakumo. But you _need_ to talk to him. He needs you right now."

He looked at her and contemplated for a moment, but soon agreed with a nod. He gripped her hand and gave a soft smile. There was something about her hand's warmth enveloping around his that calmed the nerves he had budding up. "Thank you, Tsunade."

"Don't worry about it." She slipped her hand from his grip before easing a smile. "Now, are you going to see your son, or will I have to drag you in?"

"I would like to take the easy route."

"Good choice." She slapped him forward when he opened the door and closed the door for him.

 **…**

Tsunade eventually arrived in her apartment, albeit an hour later than originally intended, and sheepishly entered the living room where she expected Dan to be. When she poked her head around the corner, she saw Dan arranging a couple of items into a new pouch.

"Did you forget about dinner?" he asked lightly, still preoccupying himself with packing.

"I'm sorry," she sighed before she wrapped her arms around him from behind. "There was a brawl between Kakashi and Genta's sons. I had to break it up, tend to Kakashi's injury, _and_ give a report about the incident to Sarutobi-sensei."

"I'm not mad," he responded lightly when he felt her embrace tighten. He packed his new kunai set into the pouch and sealed it closed before he turned to his lover. "Are you hungry?"

"A bit." She confessed as her eyes scanned to the dining table where Dan laid the plates and cutlery, noticing that he didn't bother to eat without her. "You didn't have to wait for me, you know."

"I wanted us to spend some time together, especially since I'll be going away soon." It was his turn to wrap his arms around her waist to reel her in. "So, tell me, how did you stop this _brawl_ between Kakashi and….. Genta's sons? Don't tell me you incapacitated all of them." She has a knack of doing that, so he wouldn't put it past her.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not that barbaric! No, I just…. _separated_ them." By slashing through the ground and creating a jagged cavern. But she wasn't going to tell him that… yet. Maybe _after_ he's had his dinner.

Dan quirked his eyebrow at her as he looked at her with deep amusement. " _How_ did you separate them, exactly?"

Tsunade puffed her cheeks before she wriggled from his hold. "They're still alive, Dan. I didn'tseparate _them_ from their body parts or anything. Just from each other. Sakumo is with Kakashi, right now. And Genta's sons went on home. _Relax._ "

"I was just teasing," he chuckled endearingly as he pulled her back into his arms. "Well, I'm glad that you handled the situation with _care._ " He was pushing his luck now –– and he knew it. Had he been Jiraiya or Orochimaru, Tsunade would have given him a nudge as a warning. But for him, he received her cold stare.

"Who's accompanying you to Amegakure?" she asked, approaching another conversation before she felt the temptation of wiping her lover's smirk from his face.

Dan hummed for a moment, with his arms tightening around her waist. "I haven't been fully informed, but I'm guessing that newbies will be dispatched alongside me. After all, all of the veterans are in need of desensitisation from war. The Hokage promised to inform me the first thing tomorrow after they decide on the roster."

"The Elders are interfering again, aren't they?"

"Pretty much. The Hokage is always reluctant on making decisions by himself, so he often asks for their opinion. It is causing more trouble than I would like, though. Especially since I asked for Sakumo to also be assigned to this mission."

"W-What?" she gasped, pushing away from Dan slightly. "You do know that he's been relieved by the Hokage, right?"

"That's why it's a special request. That said, Danzo-sama is sceptical about Sakumo's capabilities. But by making Sakumo obsolete, they are incapacitating him even more. Do you honestly think that a Wolf can live in a cage?"

"I suppose…"

"Sakumo _needs_ this. But I won't force him if he feels otherwise; it will just be an offer on the table." He tilted her head with his index finger and kissed her forehead. "Don't look at me with those eyes. I thought we agreed about this last night."

"We did. I'm sorry," she murmured against his Jōnin vest.

"Let's eat first, then we'll talk about it some more." He smiled as he led her to the table. "I'll just have to heat up some of the food."

Tsunade sat down when he pulled the chair out for her and patiently waited for him to re-heat their dinner. Just as her body turned lax, a scrape of their window aroused her senses and within a second the bread knife on the table turned into a lethal weapon in her arsenal.

Before she could act, Dan had already intercepted the intruder with his chakra scalpel. The person garbed in black stumbled onto the ground and shuffled towards the wall, away from Dan's weapon. "W-W-Wait!" he stammered.

Dan deactivated his jutsu and placed his hands on his hips. "What are you doing?" he inquired with a shake of a head. "Can't you knock on the door like an ordinary person?"

"I-I'm so-sorry, D-Dan-sama!"

Tsunade placed the bread knife down and raised a brow. "Who is this guy?"

The man sheepishly lowered his hood. "I'm sorry to have made you jump like that, Tsunade-sama."

"Dai!"

The exuberant man ruffled his hair in shame. "I'm sorry if my entrance wasn't Youthful. I was trying to improve my element of surprise, but I must hand it to Dan-sama's Youthful reflexes. They are still beyond amazing!"

Dan sighed. " _Why_ are you here?"

"Oh! Right. Yes. I came to deliver this." He whipped out a brown envelop from within his cloak and handed it to Dan. "The Hokage told me to urgently hand this message to you."

"This isn't a covert mission, Dai. Why did you have to scare us like that?" Tsuande asked with her arms folded.

"It was just to test myself, Tsunade-sama." He replied with his signature exuberant smile that twinkled under the sun's rays. "In order to retain my Youth, I have to push myself beyond my capabilities."

"R-Right…." She deadpanned. Honestly, she still can't understand him. "Well, you have our thanks."

"Any time, Youthful Lovebirds." And after his theatrics, he jumped out of the window and dashed from rooftop to rooftop, into the sunset.

"What does the letter say?" she asked.

"Oh, it's just a fine." Dan responded.

"A fine?"

"Yup. A fine for the damages caused in the playground." He turned to her with a pale expression. "So, _this_ is how you separated them, huh? By separating the playground in _half._ "

Tsunade felt cold sweats build up on her temple. Damn that old man was quick. She didn't think that he would file her fine so late into the day.

"It's alright. We can afford to pay this." Dan calmly said, setting the mail to one side. "But we will need to cut back on some expenses for the mean time."

"O-Of course! What do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking that your gambling sessions need to be limited for quite some time."

An obvious blow to her Gambler's heart. "H-How _'limited'_ is your idea of limited?" Perhaps 3 times a week? Surely, he wouldn't be _that_ harsh on her.

Dan's lips curled into a devious grin that made Tsunade recoil back. "I was thinking on the lines of no gambling sessions for a month."

And right into the heart he attacked.

 **…**

"So, that's how it happened, huh…" Sakumo's shoulders sagged as he gave a dejected huff. By the look on his son's face, he wasn't even an inch remorseful of what he had done to the brothers. "Listen, son ––"

"I'm not going to apologise."

"You'll have to. To ease off from this incident, amends must be made between you and those boys. You're going to be comrades with both of them, so it would be great if you mend fences now."

Kakashi fixated his gaze up at him, cold and agitated. Disturbingly so. His lips thinned in quiet dismay, as if he was holding back on what he _wanted_ to say. Sakumo had been suspicious that his son hasn't been candid with him as of recent, but he felt that Kakashi would eventually come around and talk to him. It doesn't look like that was going to happen any time soon.

"If I were you ––" Sakumo tried to say.

"You would have begged for forgiveness." Kakashi finished, sharp and matter-of-factly. "But I'm not like you. Like you said, dad, I take after mom. Someone has to have a backbone in this family."

Sakumo felt his jaw tense at the direct blow his son unapologetically delivered.

" _Everyone_ slates you, dad, but you never do anything about it. I don't get it! You're the White Fang, aren't you? So why are you letting people ridicule you and shame your name?" Kakashi continued sharply, unfiltered and genuine. "Ninja are supposed to have honour, right?" His hands balled around the bed sheets to keep his hands from trembling with anger. "Where is _your_ honour?"

" _Kakashi!"_ Sakumo finally hissed.

He clicked his tongue and turned his head away from him. "I'm not sorry that I defended you, dad. I will keep doing it until _you_ are strong enough again."

Sakumo sat on the edge of the hospital bed and reached out for his son's hand. With a small smile he squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry if I'm not stepping up as your father, Kakashi." His son has always prided himself as an independent boy that Sakumo has forgotten that he was still a child. _His_ baby boy.

"I'm not mad at you, dad."

"I know, but I'm still sorry."

Kakashi's stern expression eased, and he nodded as a way to say that he accepted his apology. The dipping sensation Sakumo felt finally lifted. "I've talked to the nurses, and they said that you're ready to be discharged. When we head home, why don't we grab a bite to eat?" he proposed in an upbeat tone.

Surprisingly, he took the bait and hurriedly got changed into his civilian outfit. "C-Can we go to Matsugen's grill, dad?"

"Sure. Anywhere you'd like."

"Are you sure? There will be a lot of people there…." His eyebrows knitted together almost instinctively as he voiced his concern.

"Don't mind them," Sakumo gently said, placing his hands firmly on his son's shoulders. "I will handle it, okay?" _Let me become the dad you want me to be, Kakashi._

"O-Okay." Albeit sceptical, Kakashi relented. It looks like he hasn't lost total faith in him, after all.

"And no more secrets, okay?" Sakumo added. "If you want to talk to me about something, just come to me."

"Right." Kakashi agreed.

"Great." He concluded as he straightened his posture. "Now, let's hurry. We don't want all of the good food to go before we get there."

"Hey dad," Kakashi called when Sakumo had his hand on the door handle. He waited for his father to fully acknowledge him before he continued. When Sakumo turned his head slightly, he took it as his cue to continue. "Since we're not keeping any secrets anymore, can I ask a question?"

"Go on."

"What happened to you last night?"

 _Huh?_

"When I came into the living room this morning, I could smell a hint of your blood blended with bleach." He elaborated innocently.

Sakumo felt a lump form in his throat.

"What were you doing last night, dad?"

* * *

A/N: Look at that! I managed to slip in an update before the end of 2017. :D Happy Holidays, guys.

 **Exciled3**


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